How's the ecotourism in and around Los Cabos - La Paz, Mexico?
Cathie Smith LoCicero - Cathie Smith Insurance
Ecotourism in Los Cabos – La Paz is very interesting. I have not taken any of those tours yet, but I have seen them advertised. Shame on me for not having gone up into the hills because there are deserts, but there are also some beautiful hills and waterfalls. Locals call them mountains, but coming from Washington state, my standard for mountains would be Mount Rainier, so the mountains they have down in southern Baja I call hills. There are beautiful trips that you can take up...
Ecotourism in Los Cabos – La Paz is very interesting. I have not taken any of those tours yet, but I have seen them advertised. Shame on me for not having gone up into the hills because there are deserts, but there are also some beautiful hills and waterfalls. Locals call them mountains, but coming from Washington state, my standard for mountains would be Mount Rainier, so the mountains they have down in southern Baja I call hills. There are beautiful trips that you can take up the hills and I've seen pictures of them. For people who want to try ecotourism, you can certainly sign up for those kinds of things, too.
I used to be in charge of a youth group where we provided scholarships for low income bright young kids to help them get through school and get a high school diploma. I started a program where once a month, we would take them out to do something interesting, fun, and educational. I was always trying to find different things that the kids would enjoy doing to get them out on a field trip.
One of the things we did was to take a tour far away. I remember that it took us a long time to go there. It was so fun. It was in a truck that looked like an army truck and the bed of the truck had benches on each side. We were way up into the mountains and we searched for whale teeth fossils. It's really interesting how the world has changed over millions of years that you can still go way up in the mountains and find fossils and go fossil hunting.
(Turtle, Baja California Sur, Mexico,pictured.)
Another time when the turtles were hatching, we asked the municipality to send us a marine biologist to take a group of 36 kids out to release turtles. It was a thrill to be able to do that. We stayed in a little theater in a hotel by the estuary in San Jose del Cabo and they gave the kids a talk and showed them a video about the migration of the turtles so they knew why we were going down to the beach and not just get a turtle to put in the ocean.
That's a big deal and a beautiful thing to do to see these little turtles that have just hatched. You're protecting them from seagulls because they make a run for the ocean and the seagulls swoop down and eat them before they even get to the water. It's a wonderful activity for tourists to be able to participate in and know that you just saved a little turtle to grow up to be a great, big sea turtle.
The question "what are the best places to live in the world" is too board to answer. For the cities, I know you can find the best in Australia, New Zealand, Canada...... If money is not an issue, you will find a whole lot more.
In my opinion, the answer to this question also concerns the heart. If you have a secure home with a loving family and good friends around you, you already have one best and happiest places to live.
...
The question "what are the best places to live in the world" is too board to answer. For the cities, I know you can find the best in Australia, New Zealand, Canada...... If money is not an issue, you will find a whole lot more.
In my opinion, the answer to this question also concerns the heart. If you have a secure home with a loving family and good friends around you, you already have one best and happiest places to live.
What's the dress code in Granada, Nicaragua? What clothes do they wear in Granada, Nicaragua?
Carolyn Membreño - León Travel Bureau
The dress code in most areas of Nicaragua is to wear cool clothing because it is warm here. However, if you go to the northern areas of Nicaragua like in Estelí, which is in the mountains, where the coffee grows, there are times when you have to wear gloves because it gets chilly up there.
In most parts of the country of Nicaragua, we get “Bahamas Beach weather”; hot and humid. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable with, such as slacks, t-shirts, or...
The dress code in most areas of Nicaragua is to wear cool clothing because it is warm here. However, if you go to the northern areas of Nicaragua like in Estelí, which is in the mountains, where the coffee grows, there are times when you have to wear gloves because it gets chilly up there.
In most parts of the country of Nicaragua, we get “Bahamas Beach weather”; hot and humid. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable with, such as slacks, t-shirts, or whatever you would wear if you were on the streets of Miami or in Los Angeles.
Leon is one of the hotter departments in the country of Nicaragua. The humidity here is also very high so it is probably best to wear more cotton clothes.
If it is very festive here in Nicaragua. There are parties everywhere you go so there is always an opportunity to dress up.
What should I know before buying a home in a new housing development in Belize?
Kate Corrigan - Caye International Bank
Here in Belize, I meet so many wonderful, adventurous people, all of whom are looking for somewhere to buy. I would say the best advice for someone looking to buy a home in a new housing development here is to know that you should be here for a good three to six months before you make your decision to buy.
As much as I want loans and as much as realtors want to sell you properties here, there is no regulatory body for real estate here in Belize. Even I could...
Here in Belize, I meet so many wonderful, adventurous people, all of whom are looking for somewhere to buy. I would say the best advice for someone looking to buy a home in a new housing development here is to know that you should be here for a good three to six months before you make your decision to buy.
As much as I want loans and as much as realtors want to sell you properties here, there is no regulatory body for real estate here in Belize. Even I could sell real estate, if I really wanted t,o even if I have never been registered and I have no qualifications as a realtor. So you are really dealing with some sharks most of the time.
Belize has so much to offer. It has mainland, coastline, the jungle, farmland, and the Islands as well. Each one of them offers a different lifestyle. So it is actually lovely if you have the time over the year while you are planning on expatriating and making that investment that you actually spend a good amount of time in each of the areas that you are considering. As an example, personally, I would not consider living in the jungle. I like to visit it, but I love island life. I love the ocean. I love diving. It is just great for my daughter and me. So just try to live it first and make sure that you get legal advice to get every piece of documentation moved over.
Can I bring my dog or cat or other pets to Portugal?
Ana Ferraz
You can definitely bring your dog or cat to Portugal. I have a client who spent 6 months in Antigua and 6 months of the year here. She always traveled with her dogs and it’s actually fine. Portugal doesn’t have quarantine as long as your dog is up to date with all vaccinations and passports.
You can even bring your horses to Portugal. I have clients who moved here from England, who have horses in England and brought them here. You can keep your horses in...
You can definitely bring your dog or cat to Portugal. I have a client who spent 6 months in Antigua and 6 months of the year here. She always traveled with her dogs and it’s actually fine. Portugal doesn’t have quarantine as long as your dog is up to date with all vaccinations and passports.
You can even bring your horses to Portugal. I have clients who moved here from England, who have horses in England and brought them here. You can keep your horses in stables here. There are about six stables in Cascais (just west of Lisbon) where you can keep your horses where they can have lessons as well.
When I move to Panama, should I use a regular phone line, a cell phone, Skype, Magicjack, or something else?
Keila Mulero - Savvy Link
Cell phone vs MagicJack communication in Panama...
For a short stay I would recommend any of the following options:
1. Buy an inexpensive, traditional device (not smartphone) from a local supplier to add minutes with an international plan. You will need to buy a SIM Card as well. The best area to find most of the providers is at the Multiplaza Mall.
2. Bring a spare/old phone from home, but you will need to...
Cell phone vs MagicJack communication in Panama...
For a short stay I would recommend any of the following options:
1. Buy an inexpensive, traditional device (not smartphone) from a local supplier to add minutes with an international plan. You will need to buy a SIM Card as well. The best area to find most of the providers is at the Multiplaza Mall.
2. Bring a spare/old phone from home, but you will need to unblock it. Buy a SIM card and add minutes with an international plan. The cost to unblock the device average $30 and takes up to 24 hours. The best area to unblock the device is at El Dorado Mall. You can take a taxi from the city. Don’t forget you still need to buy a SIM card and add minutes to it.
I personally like DIGICEL’s minutes plan. But +Movil (Cable and Wireless) has better coverage. Avoid CLARO.
You can always buy a pocket modem as well and connect to the Internet and use a MAGIC JACK. But Magic Jack works only for outbound calls to US and Puerto Rico.
The week before Christmas five of us guys decided we'd take a road trip and head to the south part of the country and do some fishing. Several of us had been there before and hooked some good sized tarpon, but the size and the ferocity of the fish caused us never to land one. We took a three hour drive south of Managua, and then an hour and a half panga ride (similar to a john boat) east on the Rio San...
BANKING-- despite all their assurances that you have set up all the correct procedures and accounts, there WILL be problems. Not in your host country, but 'back home'. These will take the form of excessive fees, limitations on the maximum allowed currency, changes in their regulations, both Governmental and internal bank rules, staff changes, lock-outs for internet transactions and many, many others.
Should you try snail mail it may take weeks of effort; I once took a certified bank check wih...
Yesterday was the last Sunday of the month which means it is the Amigos de Animales Spay and Neuter Clinic.
The day actually begins on Saturday when it is time to take a small day care center and turn it into an in-take processing area, pre-op area, surgical room, post-op area and recovery room. Every square inch is used in the most efficient manner possible.
On Sunday, the veterinarians arrive from Costa Rica to begin operating on at least 100 animals....